Sewing-machine motor



UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

FRANCIS L. CLARK, OF LEES SUMMIT, MISSOURI.

SEWING-MACHINE MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,964, dated February 24, 1891.

Application filed J'une 27, 1890.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS L. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lees Summit, in the county of- Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Sewing-Machine Motor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in connecting-rods for steam-engines, sewingmachines, lathes, and other machinery employing a fly-wheel, and also to improvements in such wheels.

The objects of the invention are to provide such a connection between the connectingrod leading from the motive power to the ywheel as will avoid any dead-centers and be adapted for immediate starting in the proper direction the instant power is applied and without any preliminary starting by hand by the operator or otherwise.

I have herein illustrated the device as connecting the treadle and iiy-wheel of an ordinary sewing-machine; but, as will be apparent from the above and the subsequent description, the invention may be applied to the various types of machinery heretofore enumerated and others too numerous tomention. v

Vith the above objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a sewing-machine supporting` standard, a fly-wheel and treadle, and con-` nections in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the hub or rear of the treadle being depressed. Fig. 3 is a detailin perspective of one of the clutch arms or 1evers. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the wheel. Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation in detail of the fly-wheel and clutch-levers. Fig. 6 is a detail of theupper ends of the connecting-rods.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

l represents the sewing-machine standard, of the usual construction and provided. with the usual treadle-rod 2, upon which is pivoted the foot-treadle 3, the same being pivoted upon the rod near its center. rlhe standard Serial No. 356,964. (No model.)

is also provided with au inwardly-disposed stub-shaft et, upon which is mounted for rotation the usual grooved band and iiy wheel 5. The ily-wheel 5 is of the ordinary construction, with the exception that the inner face of the same is provided with an annular collar G, extending inward therefrom, saidcollar being concentric with the stub-shaft Ai, upon which is looselyT mounted a pair of levers 7and 8. The lever 7 is extended at both sides of its pivot, its longest end occurring close to the inner wall of the collar 6 and its shortest end being pivotally connected, as at 9, to the upper end of a connecting-rod l0, the lower end of the rod being pivotally connected to the rear end of the treadle 3 or leading to any other motive power, as will be readily understood by those conversant with engines and kindred mechanisms. The lever 8, like its companion, terminates close to the inner wall of the collar, and about midway its length, or between its pivot and its outer end, is pivotally connected, as at 12, to a short connecting-rod 13, the lower end of which is hinged, as at 14, to the connecting-,rod l0, near its middle. The two rods lO and 13 have their adjacent inner faces or edges slightly cut away, so as to enable them to receive or embrace the end of the stub-shaft, and the upper end of the longest connectingrod 10 has its adjacent edge provided with a buffer or stop l5. From this construction it will be apparent that when the hub or rear part of the foot-treadle is raised and the connecting rods lowered the free end of the clutch-lever 7 will be raised and the similar end of the shortest clutch-lever S will belowered, and when the hub or rear part of the treadle is depressed said levers assume an opposite relative position, so that as one 1ever is being lowered the otheris being raised, and, supposing said levers to have frictional contact with the inner wall of the collar only during the time they are being raised, it will be apparent that the fly-wheel will be given a constant and uninterrupted rotary motion.

Numerous frictional devices will readily suggest themselves, and I have herein shown one of the many expedients, which I will now proceed to describe. The ends of the levers 7 and 8 are provided with recesses 16, of oblong shape, and inclined bottoms 17, and in each of said recesses there is mounted aloose ball 18. The diameter of the ball is such that when at the top of the recess, as when the levers are returning to a lowered/position, they ride lightly over the inner Wall of the collar G, and when said levers are rising they become jammed between the Wall of the collar and the shallow portion of the bottom of the recess, and thns form a rigid driving connection between said lever and the collar. It will also be apparent that the relative proportion of the connecting-rods is such that the clutch-levers are never raised or lowered to such a height as to form in connection with said rods a dead-center. The butter or stop will at all times prevent such an event, so that the machine may be started in the proper direction, regardless of the point of rest at which the levers may be located, and the motion is continuous and uninterrupted.

Having; thus described my invention, what I claim is- The combination, with a fly-wheel7 a shaft for the saine, and a collar arranged at one side of the Wheel and concentric with the shaft, of a pair of clutch-levers, one of which is extended at one side of its pivot and both of which are loosely mounted on the shaft, a conneeting-rod pivoted to the extension of one of said levers and means for operating the rod, a shorter connecting-rod pivoted to the companion lever and hinged to the firstmentioned rod, and a stop or bnler arranged at the upper end of the irst-mentioned connecting-rod and adapted for contact with the opposite rod, thereby limiting the separation ofthe clntehlevers, snbstantiallyas specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signaturein presence of two Witnesses.

FRANCIS l). CLARK. Witnesses:

N. GREENLEE, GEO. N. LONGFELLOW. 

